Process for decontamination and cleaning of ocular prostheses, in particular contact lenses, and apparatus for practicing this process

Abstract

A process for decontamination and cleaning of ocular prostheses, particularly contact lenses and to an apparatus for practicing this process chaacterized in that it consists essentially in treating the contact lenses by dipping in an isotonic solution, disposed in a receptacle (5), by bubbling ozone produced by ionization in an ionizing tube (2) and moved by a pump (3) and a conduit (4) for connecting the ionizing tube (2) to the receptacle (5) for reception of the isotonic solution and the lenses, this bubbling being effected for a predetermined duration, preferably comprised between 30 minutes and 2 hours.

I claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for decontamination and cleaning of ocular prostheses, comprising a casing enclosing an ionizing tube whose one end is connected to an air pump and whose other end is connected to a conduit for transporting the ozone product, this conduit terminating in a capillary tube, an electrical assembly for controlling the ozonizing tube and the air pump, and a removable receptable having a removable lid, said receptacle having an open top adapted to be closed by said lid, said capillary tube being insertable through and withdrawable from an opening through said lid to and from a position in which a free end of said capillary tube is disposed adjacent the bottom of the receptacle. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the electrical circuit comprising a printed circuit to which is connected a feed cord, a timer having an actuating button and an indicator indicating operation both of the air pump and of the ionizing tube. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, the ionizing tube being secured to the printed circuit by means of clips and enclosing an ozone lamp fed by a transformer. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the removable receptacle is mounted on the casing by means of a positioning disk. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus for decontamination and cleaning of ocular prostheses, comprising a casing enclosing an ionizing tube whose one end is connected to an air pump and whose other end is connected to a conduit for transporting the ozone product connected to an end of the ionizing tube and connected at its other end to a fitting opening through the wall of the casing, an electrical assembly for controlling the ozonizing tube and the air pump, and a removable receptacle having a removable lid, said receptacle having an open top adapted to be closed by said lid, and a capillary tube extending through said lid to adjacent the bottom of the receptacle, said capillary tube having an end above said lid which is bent and slidably penetrates without play through said fitting of the conduit.